I learned early in my life that I have a low tolerance for pain. It's long been a source of embarrassment and shame.

I'm currently experiencing a shingles outbreak, most of it centered directly in my armpit.

Motorcycle accidents, multiple knee/hand surgeries, more mountain bike crashes than I can count. Up until this point the proverbial Mount Everest of Pain for me has been the septoplasty surgery aftermath.

This is something different all together.

If you know somebody going through this, please extend your empathy. It's a difficult experience.


This feels like alternating waves of being stung by wasps, burned with a hot iron, having rubbing alcohol poured on it, and then rubbed with a cheese grater.

0/10 stars. Would not recommend.

I'm 52 and haven't had the vaccine yet. My dr. suggested it during my last physical, but I declined since I would be out of town that weekend and didn't want to risk a reaction.

That sucks!!! I am glad I went through with getting both of mine done during covid

You should have been placed on antiviral meds (Valacyclovir) immediately upon diagnosis.

I go for my Shot #2 this Friday

GET THE SHOTS!!!

Same age as you BTW

You have my sympathies.

My paternal grandmother had multiple outbreaks that would last for months and were painful enough to need Vicodin.

I wanted no part of that so I had shot #1 within 7 days of my 50th birthday and then did shot #2 within the allotted time frame. Glad I didn't do shot #1 on my actual birthday as it made me feel like crap for about 24 hours.

I got both Shingrex shots after seeing the misery suffered by my friend.

You can suffer multiple shingles attacks, so don’t think that you’ll be immune after the current one subsides.

Sorry you have to go through that pain. Hope you get well soon!

I forget exactly when I had my shots, but I think in my mid 50's.

I had both series of the vaccine and still got shingles. I was lucky that it was a mild case and Acyclovir cleared it up in a week. The shots do not confer life long immunity.

Sorry you are going through so much pain.

I did the shots before covid came out. Didn’t want to get it or suffer from all the pain that could come from getting it.

Watched my wife go through it a year ago and I got the vax. She was miserable.

My father got it in one of his eyes. Watching the suffering for months made the decision as soon as I was eligible, I got the vaccine

Hope your case passes quickly

Of all the BS vaccines-to-avoid, this one is right up there with measles.

Get it, or find someone like OP to discuss with. And then get it.

Possibility of Shingles concerns me. Doc has me on the no-fly list for most vaccines because Guillain Barré.

quote:

Originally posted by bcereuss:
You should have been placed on antiviral meds (Valacycovir) immediately upon diagnosis.

I’m on day 2. It started last Saturday (today is Tuesday), but I had no idea what it was. I had some itchy red spots that I thought were probably due to my deodorant, or maybe ingrown hair or something.

By Sunday night it felt like spider bites, and by Monday morning it was obvious something was up. So I got the earliest appt I could and she started me on Valacycovir right away.

I’m reading some horror stories about how long this can last, even after the sores clear up you can have nerve pain for months?

That’ll be fun.

I watched my Dad go through that in the late 60’s. Back then all he could do was to apply Calamine lotion. He was in a lot of pain…

I wish you a quick recovery.

I have been thinking about getting the Shingles vaccine. Now I definitely will. I dont want to have a conversation with the OP about the pain. I too have a low tolerance for pain.

Just got my yearly flu vaccine.
Definitely will be getting this vaccine too.

Got shingles when I was 10. Burning, itching, miserable, but what can you do? Those days, you just had to endure it. Still remember mom crush the bean sprout heads and layer them on the rash to cool it. That’s folks remedy for you. And still have the darkened spots on my left side to prove it.

Several of the Old Goat Breakfast Association has had shingles. To a man they advised me to get vaccinated against it. I took their advice.

quote:

Originally posted by bcereuss:
You should have been placed on antiviral meds (Valacyclovir) immediately upon diagnosis.

There are a few exceptions, but in general, after 72 hours of rash onset, antiviral is no longer effective. So, even if the doc diagnoses you immediately after 72 hours, it’s a moot point. Treatment will just be pain control. OP’s treatment with valacyclovir was appropriately still within the 72-hour window.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by bcereuss:
You should have been placed on antiviral meds (Valacyclovir) immediately upon diagnosis.

There are a few exceptions, but in general, after 72 hours of rash onset, antiviral is no longer effective. So, even if the doc diagnoses you immediately after 72 hours, it’s a moot point. Treatment will just be pain control. OP’s treatment with valacyclovir was appropriately still within the 72-hour window.

I'll defer to your knowledge, and I don't want to derail this thread...but my understanding is that it'll still be effective if treatment is started beyond 72 hours of onset-just maybe less effective; also, I thought it could help reduce post-herpetic neuralgia.